The ramblings of a pilgrim through time, space, and life.

Menu

What Temple Work Means to Me by Rosa (Nelson) Jonas Andersen

(I have maintained punctuation and spelling)

I was asked to talk a few minutes on what temple work means to me. This I shall do to the best of my ability. First I shall talk about the book called ADDED UPON. No doubt most of you have read this book. If you haven’t it would be well worth your time to do so. We all know we existed spiritually before we came to this earth. Two people, a man and a women, were chosen to come to this earth to fulfill a mission here and take up a body.

They came, the woman was born in Denmark. The man was born on a farm in America. The woman, named Ensign emegrated to America. When she got here she got work on a farm doing house work. One afternoon while working, a man came to the door and asked if he might have something to eat. While he was eatin they began to chat, she found out that his name was Rupert and that he was looking for work, that he prefered doing farm work. Later when the farmer came into the house Ensign told him about Rupert. Rupert was immediately hired as the farmer needed help badly. The young couple became friendly, fell in love and after a summer of courtship they were married in the temple. Rupert had some land of his own, left to him by his father. They made a home on this land and raised a nice family. During the winter Rupert did work in the mines in order to get extra money. They lived happily together for some time. Finally one winter day Rupert was killed in the mines leaving Ensign alone on this earth to finish raising her family. The children grew up one by one. They married leaving Ensign alone, after a few years called home.

Rupert was there to met Ensign, they knew each other, they could remember before they came down to earth, how at that time they wondered if they would be to gether on this earth. They had been, they smiled at each other and were content.

This story causes me to think of my parents life, being like unto it. My mothers parents emigrated from Sweeden. Mother was one of the first baby girls born in Logan Utah. When she was nine years of age her mother died. Later grandfather remarried, marrying a woman with a large family. After a time mother was forced to earn her own living wherever she could get work.

She found employment in Pocatello Idaho. There she worked at a boarding house waiting on tables. Here she met Joseph S Jonas, like Rupert and Ensign one summer of courtship and they were married. Father being a Rail Road man they moved from one place to another. They too raised a family of seven children, four girls and three boys. Along about the spring of 1910 we were living at Thorp Kittitas Co. Washington.

One night after a terrible storm a flood came causing much damage. Trapping many people in their homes. Being R. R. man father was called upon to help rescue these people, and through the wet and exposure he suffered in helping these people he became very sick and was in the hospital for six months, with rhumitisum and pneumonia. He was so sick he had to be turned on sheets. He was a staunch catholic and did not believe in mormonism.

While father was in the hospital mother took us little ones and went to visit her brother August Nelson who lived in Salt Lake City. Through the worey for father and we little ones mother became very nervous, her heart became affected and she became very ill. One night she passed away from a heart attack, if it had been now days I do believe she could of been helped, by the wonderful medicines we now have to work with. But we children didn’t know what to do. We were left alone in the care of her older brother with no mother, and father so desperately sick.

We feared father was too sick to receive bad news and were afraid a shock like this would prove fatal to him. So we told him nothing about mothers death. After the funeral I went to visit my father at the hospital who was still in Washington. Father a catholic and mother a L. D. S.

At heart like Rupert and Ensign they were meant for each other, for mother’s spirit did not loose any time singling her mate out. For when I entered the room father said “well she is gone isn’t she?” I said what do you mean?” Father said “your mother she came to my bed side at 15 min. to ten on the night of Dec. 23, I know all about it. This is proof to me that they were meant for each other. So I am having my mother sealed to my father for all time and eternity, as my father since that time has pass away to be with my mother. I know they met in the hereafter recognised each other, and will be happy when I get their temple work done.

It was while we children were staying at mothers br4others home in Salt Lake City that we were babtized into the mormong church. The Lord works in a natural way, he braught us back to where mother left off as a girl. There most of us lived untill we were fully grown, married in the temple and went on missions. But father would not accept.

My baby brother Joseph when he grew older went back to his father and tried to convert him to the mormon religion, but to no avail.

Years went by and father became ill again. I sent for him to come to my home. He lay desperatly ill for days. The night before hr died he was so very ill, he called me to come saying “Rose offer a word of prayer for me” I knew then the hard shell about father had soffened, as even that much to his mormon daughter was a great deal for dad. I prayed for him, but he passed away the next night.

I am thankful to my heavenly father there is a plan whereby we children who were left, were able to have these two people united in eternal marriage with their children sealed to them. I feel with in my self they are happy and satisfied. May I ever be worthey of entering into their presence when it is my turn to answer Gods call, is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.